Lubricating means for sewing machines



Nov. 9,1937. M. L. WATERMAN LUBRICATING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1935 Nov. 9, 1937. M. L. WATERMAN LUBRICATING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1935 Patented Nov. '9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATING MEANS FOR SEWING MAC HINES Application July 18,

' '1 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and it has as its primary object to provide improved means for lubricating one or more bearings thereof such, for example, as the forward bearing of the loop-taker shaft and/or the bobbin-case raceway. I

To satisfactorily lubricate those elements of a sewing machine involves problems and difiiculties not encountered in the lubrication of other types of machines. Sewing machines are essentially high speed machines. Therefore, the parts must be constantly and adequately lubricated, otherwise undue wear will quickly result. However, due to the nature of the work they perform, this lubrication must be controlled to a nicety, since the slightest over-lubrication will result in soiling the bobbin-thread and consequently in impairment of the product.

Various forms of lubricating meansheretofore have been provided for this purpose, but none has been satisfactory in itsentirety. Probably the nearest approach to a satisfactory device for the purpose is disclosed in United States patent to Waterman et al., No. 1,689,310, Oct. 30, 1928, of

which the present construction is an improvement.

This prior device, although superior to other will continuously and adequately lubricate the hook-shaft bearing and bobbin-case raceway of a sewing machine for a long period of time without any attention from the operator, and which is so controlled that over-lubrication and impairment of the work is precluded.

Another object is to provide lubricating means for sewing machines, as above described, which, although requiring only infrequent attention of the operator, will, nevertheless, be constantly subject to his scrutiny, whereby he may beassured of the proper functioning of the device and also may readily replenish the supply of lubricant, when necessary.

Still another object of the invention is so to construct the sewing machine frame and so to ar- 1935, Serial No. 31,955

range the lubricating means therein that all danger of contact of the work with the lubricant, or the lubricant container, is obviated and the container is effectively protected against breakage.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The several features of the-invention, and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood from the following description in conjunction with the drawings which have been annexed as a part of this disclosure and which depict a preferred embodiment of the invention. 15

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a sewing machine showing the improved lubricating means incorporated therein. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the throat-plate and cloth-plate omitted. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a sewing machine comprising a hollow bed i, an upright standard 2 secured to the bed, and an overhanging arm 3 formed integral with the standard and carrying, at its forward end, the needleactuating mechanism, cloth-presser and take-up, which, being of conventional form, are not shown. The bed I supports a cloth-platep which may be of sheet-metal or other suitable material.

Power to actuate the various mechanisms enters the machine through a shaft l journaled in the arm. This power is transmitted by a belt 5 to feeding mechanism, designatedgenerally as I, located within the bed I, and by a belt 6 to a looptaker shaft 1 journaled in bearings provided by lugs 8 and 9,, formed integral with the bed. The forward bearing lug '8 is provided with a bearing bushing Hi havinga central bore ll within which the loop-taker shaft is rotatably journaled. This shaft is formed with an axial bore l2 which is connected through a radial duct l3, formed in-a looptaker M secured upon the shaft 1, with a longitudinal duct l5 formed in the loop-taker. The last named duct communicates with an annular raceway within which is journaled a' conventional bobbin-case l I. The shaft 1 is also formed, within the bushing I0, with a radial duct l8 extending inwardly from a beveled inlet slot I8 At each rotation of the shaft, this slot is aligned with a duct I9 formed in the bushing and tends to pick up lubricant therefrom. The duct I! is maintained in permanent communication with a lubricant chamber 20, of relatively small capacity, formed in the bearing lug 8, from which lubricant is received and transmitted through the ducts l9, l8, bore t2, and ducts l3 and IE to the bobbin-case raceway. Preferably the bore 1 2 and the ducts l3 and i5 are filled with suitable wicking w to somewhat restrict the flow of lubricant therethrough.

To adequately, lubricate the forward bearing of the shaft 8, the bore ll ofthe bushing I0 is provided with a longitudinal groove 22 which communicates with the radial duct l9 and a peripheral groove 2| in the shaft 1, and receives lubricant therefrom. This bore also is preferably filled with wicking which serves to distribute the lubricant along the bearing,

To prevent the escape of oil from the chamber 2|! to the upper surface of the cloth-plate, where it might soil the work, the chamber is preferably closed at, its upper end. This may be accomplished in any'suitable way, such, for example, as by means of a screw plug 23 threaded therein.

As hereinbefore stated, this invention has as an object to provide a lubricating system which will function for along period of time without any attention from the operator but which will nevertheless be constantly subject to his inspection and control. This has been attained by the provision of a manually regulatable sight-feed oilcup 2|, of. substantial capacity, located remote from the bearing lug 8 and connected with the chamber 20 by a conduit 25. -To the end that this oil-cup'may be constantly before the operator and still be wholly out of his way and completely protected against breakage and contact with the work, the sewing machine frame has been specially constructed'so as to hold within its confines, at the front side thereof, the sightfeed oil-cup..

As shown most clearly in Figs l and 2 the oilcup is supported upon-a bracket 26 secured to the bed I and located within a chamber, or cavity, 21 formed therein. This bracket also supports the rearward end of the conduit 25 and is provided with a chamber 26* with which both the oil-cup and the conduit connect. Above the chamber 21 the forward wall of the standard 2 is formed with .an inward indentation 28 providing a recess or open face cavity 29 within which the sight-feed oil-cup is located. This cavity is of such dimensions as towholly receive'the oil-cup and yet, as

shown by Fig: 3, the depressed forward wall of the standard does not interfere with the driving connections which extend through the standard.

The oil-cup may be of conventional form and is provided with the usual regulating valve, adapted to be controlled by an adjusting nut 30. The oil-cup may also be provided with a conventional cut-off, if desir From the foregoing it will be perceived that this invention provides improved means which will continuously and efliciently lubricate bearings of a sewing machine for a long period of time without any attention by the operator; which is constantly under his observation and control, and which is so constructed and arranged as to effectively preclude damage both to the device and to the work being operated on by the sewing machine.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:--

1. A sewing machine comprising a bed, a standard secured thereto and provided in its forward wall with an openfacecavity, a loop-taker shaft journaled in the bed, a loop-taker secured to said shaft and provided with a'bobbin-case raceway, and means for supplying lubricant to said raceway comprising a sight-feed oil-cup supported by said bed and located within said cavity and conduit means connecting said oil-cup with said raceway. v

2. A sewing machine comprising a bed, a standard secured thereto, vertically aligned chambers formed in said bed and standard, a loop-taker shaft journaled in the bed, a loop-taker secured to said shaft and provided with a bobbin-case raceway, and means for supplying lubricant to said raceway including a supporting bracket located within the chamber in said bed, an oil-cup supported by said bracket and located within the chamber in said standard, and conduit means connecting said oil-cup with said raceway.

3. A sewing machine comprising a bed, a standard secured thereto, said bed and standard having .vertically aligned cavities formed therein, a

' loop-taker shaft journaled in a bearing provided by the bed, a loop-taker secured to said shaft and having therein a bobbin-case raceway,- and means for supplying lubricant to said bearing and raceway comprising a supporting bracket secured to the bed and located within the cavity therein, an oil-cup supported by said bracket and located within the cavity in the standard, and conduit means connecting said oil-cup with said bearing and raceway.

4. A sewing machine comprising a bed, a standard having its forward wall locally recessed to form an open face cavity, a drive shaft journaled in said standard, a loop-taker shaft journaled in the bed, a driving connection between said shafts,

a loop-taker connected to said loop-taker shaft and provided with a bobbin-case raceway, means for supplying lubricant to said raceway comprising a manually controlled sight-feed oil-cup located within said cavity forwardly of said driv- 'ing connection, and conduit means connecting said oil-cup with said raceway.

5. A sewing machine frame comprising a bed, an upright standard secured thereto, said standard having'a cavity formed in one of its walls, said bed having a complemental cavity located beneath the cavity in said standard, and a supporting bracket, secured to said bed within the cavity formed therein, having a portion fitted within the cavity in the standard and adapted to support, in the last named cavity, a sight-feed oil-cup.

6. A sewing machine having means for lubri-' eating a bearing thereof, comprising a supporting frame provided with an open face cavity, a si htfeed oil-cup located within said cavity and visibly disposed to an operator when in his normal operative position, and conduit means connecting,

said oil-cup with said bearing.

'7; Ina sewing machine having a frame comprising a bed and a standard secured thereto, said standard having one of its walls locally recessed to form an open face cavity and said bed supporting a bearing, a lubricating means for said bearing comprising an oil-cup supported by said bed and located within said cavity, and oil conducting means connecting said oil-cup with said bearing.

MAX L. WATERMAN. 

